Nursery & Preschool

Introduction

Our nursery and preprimary classes (2-4 years old) are strongly Montessori based.

The average class size of 12-15 students ensures an optimal learning experience. Our nursery class for 2-3 year olds includes a full-time teaching assistant in addition to the main class teacher.

Over the course of the day, the children will explore a number of different activities from the different Montessori classroom areas, and they will also partake in group activities such as Show & Tell or Story Time during circle times. Other activities include cooking classes, tending the vegetable garden or caring for the school’s chickens.

During the Montessori work cycle, students may choose to work alone or with a friend, learning to respect each others’ boundaries. The teacher will act as a guide, helping the children to assimilate key concepts and refine their skills and senses. 

In addition, the Jolly Phonics method for teaching phonics has been integrated into our program to maximize the students’ learning and facilitate their transition into Primary.

Our preschool students have weekly music and sports lessons taught in French by a specialist teacher. Introduction to French classes are offered twice a week to help our foreign pupils develop the verbal skills they need to be fully integrated into their local environment. The children also visit the school library every week in order to borrow a book that they can share with their family at home.

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Montessori-based approach

Classes are taught in English by Montessori-trained English teachers. We accept children as of age 2 in our nursery class.

Our educators guide the children through their acquisition of the major age-appropriate academic and social skills. Main areas of focus are:

We have adopted the Montessori method of education because we believe it offers extraordinary benefits in terms of the child’s development of autonomy – and personal and intellectual growth – at the early stages of his or her school experience.

Yearly theme

Each year, the teachers in preprimary (preschool) choose a theme for the year upon which the learning experience is based. Field trips are also selected to enrich the curriculum. This year’s theme is “Young Explorers”.

The children started off the year exploring in the garden and the park, learning about Mini Beasts and their habitats. They watched how the leaves changed colour in Autumn and collected chestnuts, which were used in class to improve their counting skills. Next they explored Space, where the children learnt about the people who travel there, the Planets, stars, the Moon and its phases. As the season changed to Winter, the children travelled to the Arctic and the Antarctic to find out about the animals who lived there. They experimented with water and ice.

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French instruction for our young learners

Non French-speaking children may also benefit from bi-weekly French lessons in addition to their regular Sports and Music lessons, which are taught in French. The aim is to slowly provide our French learners with the foundations of the French language through an immersive, non-formal approach before they begin a more formal acquisition in Year 1 at age 5. French lessons will include games, songs, arts and crafts, movement and exercise or story time.

For more information and 2024-2025 admission!